Updated at 12:37 a.m. on April 21
President Trump posed three questions Friday evening, drawing attention to the potential dire implications to special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation with the revelation that the Justice Department watchdog is investigating whether Comey wrongfully leaked classified information in his memos.
“James Comey illegally leaked classified documents to the press in order to generate a Special Council? Therefore, the Special Council was established based on an illegal act? Really, does everybody know what that means?” Trump said, with some typos.
James Comey illegally leaked classified documents to the press in order to generate a Special Council? Therefore, the Special Council was established based on an illegal act? Really, does everybody know what that means?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 21, 2018
The Wall Street Journal broke the news earlier in the day that two of Comey’s memos, which detail his conversations with Trump before he was fired in May of last year, were found to be classified by officials, prompting a Justice Department inspector general investigation. Before handing out the memos, Comey redacted information that he knew was classified from one of the memos. But after he left, the FBI upgraded it to the lowest level of classified: “confidential.”
Comey gave his friend Daniel Richman, a federal prosecutor turned law professor, the memos. At least one of those memos were shared with the New York Times, detailing Comey’s recollection of Trump pressuring him to drop the investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn. Comey later testified to Congress that he leaked the memo with the hopes of paving the way to the appointment of a special counsel.
He got his wish with Robert Mueller, whose team picked up the reins from Comey, and dived into looking at Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.
Trump has long called the special counsel probe a “witch hunt” and has reportedly talked about firing Mueller and the official overseeing his work, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.
The memos were sent to Congress on Thursday after top Republican committee chairmen demanded the Justice Department hand them over, and in short order they were shared with the media. Which of the seven memos, most of which have redactions, were found to have classified information remains unclear. The memo where Comey claims Trump pushed him to drop the Flynn investigation is marked unclassified.
Trump claimed Thursday the leaked memos vindicated him, declaring on Twitter: “James Comey Memos just out and show clearly that there was NO COLLUSION and NO OBSTRUCTION. Also, he leaked classified information. WOW! Will the Witch Hunt continue?”
